Ventilated food storage receptacle



. P 4 R. J. CARBARY i 2,255,503

VENTILATED FOOD STORAGE REiCEPTACLE Filed 001;. 26, 1939 Inventor";

. y His Attorney.

FEE chard J. Gag b ary;

Patented Sept. 9, 1941 1 Richard J. Carbary, Erie, 2a., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation 01' New York ap lication Ootober 2c. 1939, Serial No. 301,433 8' Claims. (01. 98-51) My invention relates to ventilators for food storage receptacles and more particularly to ventilators for food storage receptacles adapted for use with refrigerators of the domestic type.

It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved ventilating arrangement for food storage receptacles which is readily and easily manipulated to vary the amount of ventilation. 7

Another object t my invention is to provide a ventilator for a food storage receptacle in which the component parts are positively held in assembled relation whereby there is no tendency for the component parts to fall apart but the members may be moved to a position in which they are readily separable.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a ventilator fora food storage receptacle in which the component parts have operative and separable positions.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a food storage receptacle embodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial view of details of the food storage receptacle illustrated in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating parts of the receptacle shown in Fig. 1.

I have provided a food storage receptacle I0 having ventilating openings H in a wall 12 thereof. lation through the openings II, I have provided a ventilating slide l3 having openings l4 arranged to cooperate with the openings or aper- In order to vary the amount of ventiis readily disassembled for cleaning, etc., I have provided a handle or actuating knob l9 having portions 26, 2| and 22 which extend beyond the outer edge of the cam II. The opening I8 is shaped to permit the unobstructed passage of the member it over the handle l9 and cam I! in the separable position of the handle l9 as best seen in Fig. 3, but the opening l8 and the handle portions'20, 2| and 22 are so arrangedthat with the handle l9 turned to its operative position, as shown in Fig. 2, there is no tendency of the parts to fall apart, whereby the knob and the opening or aperture are modified or provided with cooperating means on adjacent faces in order to provide for unobstructed placement or withdrawal of the movable member over the cam member and the knob in one position of the tures H in the wall l2. In order to move the ventilating slide or member l3 to vary the size 01' the opening, I have provided a slot IS in one end of the member l3 so that the member l3 may be slidably supported by a stud l6 suitably secured to the wall 12 of the receptacle l0 and at the other end 01' the member it a cam ll fitting within an opening l8 in the member l3. Rotation of the cam" causes the member l3 to move or slide on the stud l6 thereby forming ventilating openings of different areas.

In order to provide a positiveassembly of the component parts in which there is no tendency to fall apart in the operative position but which 65 28 and threaded fastening member 29 for securknob but maintenance of the parts in assembled relation in substantially all other positions of the knob.

Describing my invention in greater detail, I have provided a ventilator for a receptacle it having a stationary member which in this case is the wall I2 of the receptacle ill with a plurality of openings ll illustrated in the form of parallel substantially rectangular slots extending transversely of the wall 12. The ventilating slide or member I3 is substantially rectangular in shape and is provided with a plurality of spacedapart slots I4 similar in shape and position to the openings II. The upper and lower edges and the right-hand end of the member I3, as

viewed in the drawing, are raised with respect to the portions 23 adjacent the openings M. The raised portions are provided with an inwardly extending flange 24 which is arranged to slidably engage the side wall l2 of the receptacle Ill. The flange 24 is dimensioned so that the depressed portions 23 are closely adjacent the wall I2 of the receptacle l0 so that the leakage of air between the interior and exterior of the receptacle when the openings II are covered by the portions 23 will be minimized.

In order to movably support the slide l3 the edge of the opening I8 is provided with an inwardly extending collar or flange 25 which serves as a cam surface for operative engagement with the edges of cam I! when the parts are in their I assembled relationship. The cam l1 and knob ing the cam place, the threaded stem of the member 29 passing through the opening in the washer 28 for engagement with a suitably threaded opening 30 extending through arm 28, cam l1 and knob IS. The arm 23 is of such a length as to extend into the interior of the receptacle l allowing a slight amount of play between the inner face of the cam I1 and the. wall -I 2. The slide I3 is supported at the other end thereof by the stud l6 which fits within slot l5 formed in the slide |3. In order to retain the slide l3 on the stud IS, the stud |8 is provided with an enlarged head |6a of greater I diameter than the width of slot l5.

In order to provide a positive assembly of the various component parts having no tendency to fall apart, I have provided a handle IS with portions 20, 2| and 22 extending beyond the periphery of the cam I have illustrated a generally heart-shaped or 'triangularly-shaped knob l9 which may be made of any suitable material and may be integral with cam H or separable therefrom as dwsired. The opening I8 is provided with secondary openings 3|, 32 and 33 having the same shape as and being slightly larger than the projections 20, 2| and 22 of the knob l9 respectively. In assembling the parts of the ventilator, the cam I1 is secured to the outside of the receptacle l0 by passing the arm 28 through the opening 21 and then applying the washer 28 and member 29 thereto. With the handle member l9 in the position shown in Fig. 3, the slide I3 is then moved across the surface of wall |2 until the slot l5 engages the stud l6 and the openings 3|, 32 and 33 match with the portions '20, 2| and 22 respectively of the knob I9. The slide |3 may then be passed inwardly over the-projecting portions of the knob l9 until the flange 24 and the depressed portions 23 of the member l3 engage the wall |2 of the receptacle. The knob l9 may then be rotated in either direction until the portions 20, 2| and 22 are outof correspondence with the openings 3|, 22 and 33, as for example in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In order to disassemble the parts the procedure may be reversed, that is,

knob l9 may be turned until the projections 20, 2| and 22 correspond with the secondary openings 3|, 32 and 33, in which position the slide it has unobstructed passage over the cam l1 and knob IS. The slide l3 may then be withdrawn longitudinally of the stud l8 until the member" is entirely free of the stud I8.

In order to vary the amount of ventilation permitted between the interior and exterior of the receptacle ID, the knob It will be turned. As shown in Fig. 2, the parts are designed so that with the pointer portion 20 of the knob 9 in the uppermost position the openings II are approximately half uncovered. In this position, the major portion of cam I1 is above the eccentric arm 23. Now, if the knob is turned in a counterclockwise direction, the cam l1 and knob l9 will rotate with the arm 26 as a pivot thereby urging the slide l3 toward the left because of thecooperation oi the inner cam surface of the opening l8 and the outer edge of the cam I! while, if the knob I9 is turned toward the ri ht,

' the slide l3 will be urged toward the right to uncover more of the opening I|.

Reference indicia, as indicatedby the numeral 34, may be provided to indicate the degree of uncovering of openings While I have shown a particular embodiment oi my invention, I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A ventilating louver comprising a stationary apertured member, a movable apertured member cooperating with said stationary member for providing a variable ventilating opening, said movable member having an opening, a cam member carried by said stationary member and disposed in said opening, an actuating knob operatively associated with said cam member, said cam being so arranged that the turning force applied to said knob is transmitted through said cam to said movable member for moving the latter to vary the area of said ventilating opening, said knob and said opening in said movable member having cooperating means on adjacent faces to provide for unobstructed placement or withdrawal of said movable member over said cam member and said knob in one position of said knobbut for maintaining the parts in assembled relationship in substantially all other positions of said knob, and means for guiding said movable member.

2. A ventilating louver comprising a stationary apertured member, a movable apertured member cooperating with said stationary member for providing a variable ventilating opening, saidmovable member having an opening, a cam member carried by said stationary member and disposed in said opening, an actuating knob operatively associated with said cam member, said cam being so-arranged that the turning iforce applied to said knob is transmitted through said cam to said movable member for moving the lat- I ter to vary the area of said ventilating opening, said knob having portions extending beyond the edges of said cam member, said opening having a contour permitting unobstructed placement or withdrawal of said movable member over said cam member and said knob in one position 01 said knob, and means for guiding said movable member.

- 3. A ventilating louver comprising a stationary said raised p rtion, an intumed flange around said opening, a cam member in said opening, an

eccentrically located arm on the side of said cam member presented toward said stationary member for pivotal movement thereon, and an actuating knob on the other side of said cam member, said cam and said flange being arranged for operative engagement whereby the turning force applied to said knob is transmitted through said cam to I said movable member for moving the latter to vary the uncovered area of the apertures in said stationary member, and means for guiding said movable member.

4. A ventilating louver comprising a stationary apertured member, a movable apertured member for uncovering said first-mentioned aperture, said movable member having a raised marginal portion, said movable member having an opening at one end thereof, said opening being located in said raised portion, an intumed' flange around said opening, a cam member in said opening, an eccentrically located arm on the side 01 said cam member presented toward said stationary memher, said arm being supported by said stationary member for pivotal movement thereon, and an actuating knob on the other side of said cam member, said cam and said flange being arranged for operative engagement whereby the turning force applied to said knob is transmitted through said cam to said movable member for moving the latter to vary the uncovered area of the aperture in said stationary member, the other end of said movable member having a slot and a stud on said stationary member for engagement with said slot.

5. A ventilating louver comprising a stationary apertured member, a movable apertured member for uncovering said first-mentioned apertures, said movable member having a raised marginal portion, said movable member having an opening at one end thereof, said opening being located in said raised portion, an inturned flange around said opening, a cam-member in said opening, an eccentrically located arm on the side of said cam member presented toward said stationary member, said arm being supported by said stationary member for pivotal movement thereon, and an actuating knob on the other side of said cam member, said cam and said flange being arranged for operative engagement whereby the turning force applied to said knob is transmitted through said cam to said movable member for I moving the latter to vary the uncovered area 01! the apertures in said stationary member. said knob having portions extending beyond the edges oi said cam, said extending portions serving to hold the parts in assembled relationship in the operative positions of said knob, said opening I having a contour permitting unobstructed placeceptacle, a knob movably mounted on said receptacle tor rotary motion with respect thereto, said plate having an aperture therein, the contour of said aperture being arranged to permit unobstructed placement or withdrawal of said plate over said knob, cam means associated with said knob and said aperture for moving said plate, a slot in said plate, and means including a stud supported by said receptacle and adapted to cooperate with said slot in said plate for slidably mounting said plate on said receptacle so that the openings in said receptacle and said plate may be moved into and out of alignment to form ventilating openings oi variable amount.

7. A receptacle having a plurality of parallel slots extending transversely of a wall thereof, a substantially rectangularly shaped plate having a width slightly greater than the width of said slots, said plate having a 'rectangularly-shaped depressed portion closely adjacent saidwall of said receptacle, said plate being provided with a plurality of parallel slots extending transversely of said depressed portion and adapted to cooperate with said first-mentioned slots to form ventilating openings of variable size, and means ior detachably mounting said plate on said receptacle including a slot in one end oi said plate and a stud attached to said receptacle and arranged to engage said slot, a flange defining an aperture in the other end of said plate, a cam in said aperture and an operating knob on said cam, said aperture being shaped to permit unobstructed placement or withdrawal of said plate over said cam and said knob, said cam and said flange cooperating for slidably moving said plate longitudinally on said stud to cause said openings to be moved into and out 01! alignment.

8. A food storage receptacle provided with a plurality of ventilating openings, a plate movably of, said opening being shaped to permit un- RICHARD J. CARBARY. 

